National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom plans to sign an agreement with the French operator of nuclear power plants Electricite de France SA (EDF) on cooperation in the development of nuclear energy, Head of the company Petro Kotin has said.
“Today, we are preparing a memorandum with EDF on cooperation in the development of nuclear energy in Ukraine and in the world. A lot of issues are being worked out there regarding the current operation of units, equipment modernization, personnel training, as well as the development of nuclear facilities in the future. Now we have provided them with our version of the memorandum, they are considering it,” Kotin said in a commentary to Energy Reform during a visit to the Central Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility.
He said he met with Head of EDF Jean-Bernard Levy at a nuclear exhibition in Paris (November-December 2021), where it was agreed on the need to establish cooperation.
According to Kotin, it can become fruitful and profitable for both companies.
“EDF is the world’s largest operator of nuclear power plants. If we produced 86 billion kWh last year, which is the highest result in the last six years, then they produced 360 billion kWh. But we are the second in terms of electricity production in Europe, except for the Russian Federation,” the head of Energoatom said.
At the same time, he admitted that cooperation with EDF could eventually extend to the development of small modular reactors in Ukraine.
“Now this issue is dealt with by many companies, all large organizations that have expertise in this area. Some have conceptual solutions at the stage of coordination with regulatory authorities, many are still at the concept stage,” Kotin explained, adding that “the horizon for the use of small modular reactors is another six-eight years.”
As reported with reference to Deputy Head of the President’s Office Rostyslav Shurma, Ukraine plans to cooperate with French EDF, in particular, in the construction of new units of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the country.
EDF operates more than 70 nuclear reactors, including 58 in France, and is among the world’s largest nuclear power plant operators. In addition, EDF owns stakes in generating companies in many European countries, the USA, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, China, India, and Morocco.
